Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPECIFICAT:CON
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a modular multiple
contact plug and/or a multiple contact socket of plug connection
devices for signal current systems, in particular for tele-
communications and data communications, with sleeve-like encoding
means which prevent the connection leading to contact between
plug and socket in the event of nonconformity.
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In signal current systems, in particular in the
fields of telecommunications and data communications, there is
the increasing problem of pluggably connecting the most diverse ,~
connecting systems such as telephone or on-line systems, computer
systems and the like without causing wrong connections.
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For this purpose encoding means are common which
prevent the connection of plug and socket leading to contact in
the event of nonconformity.
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Such an arrangement has become known, for example,
; by the EU-patent application 91114313.9 of the same applicant,
where the encoding means comprise a component changing the
geometrical cross section of the plug opening of the socket in
accordance with the cross section of t~he insertion part o the
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plug to be used, whereby said components may be sleeve~like or
only small plates or even only U-shaped bow parts so as to achieve
an adaptation of the plug opening of the socket to the respective
geometrical cross section of the insertion part of the plug to
be used.
SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTION
These measures, however, lack sufficient profession-
ality in practice, leading to the proble;n of finding a solution
that leads to practically unlimited encoding possibilities and
to a simple upgrade of the existing modular plugs and sockets.
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In accordance with the invention this is achieved in
that the sleeve-like encoding means for the plug is a component
which is changeably insertable on a rnodular plug in the circum-
ferential direction and in the longitudinal direction, having a
cross section which is adaptable to the various geometrical
cross sections of the plug openings of modular sockets by said
changing; and/or that the sleeve-like encoding means for the
socket is a component which can be changeably placed in front
of the plug opening of a modular socket in the circumferential
direction and in the longitudinal direction, having an inner
cross section adaptable to the different geometrical cross
sections of modular sockets or plug encoding means by means of
said changing.
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These measures enable an upgradable, easy-to-use,
practically unlimited encoding of commercially availably plug
connecting devices with modular plugs and socketsO
In this respect the modular multiple contact plug may
preferably be arranged in such a way that the plug encoding
sleeve is nondisplaceably placed into a gripping part insertable
on a plug, with the plug encoding sleeve being provided with
encoding grooves and encoding designation shoulders extending in
the plug-in direction, whereby the latter can at least partly be
overlapped by tongues on the gripping part and whereby further-
more a catch gripping behind the inserted plug encoding sleeve
is arranged on the free end of at least one tongue of the
gripping part.
The multiple contact socket, however, is preferably ~;~
arranged in such a way that the socket encoding sleeve is non-
displaceably seated in a gripper-like Eixing device projecting -
away from the front side of the socket and that furthermore the :
socket encoding sleeve is provided with grooves extending in the
plug-in direction, carrying encoding designations and used for
receiving the projecting tongues of the gripper-like fixing
device, which grooves are at least part-ly overlapped by the ~- :
tongues, and that on the free end of at least on~ tongue of the
gripper-like fixing device there is a catch gripping behind the
inserted socket encoding sleeve. The arrangement of the multiple
contact socket may be such that the socket encoding sleeve
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comprises inwardly projecting cam p~rts designated for the
cooperation with the encoding grooves of the socket encoding
sleeve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the
invention are explained in greater detail below by reference to
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a plug connection
device with a socket, sleeve-like encoding component and an
encoded plug in accorda'nce with the invention;
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Figs. 2 and 3 show a diagrammatic view of the encoding
means for a modular plug in accordance with Fig. 1;
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Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of a
sleeve-like encoding component ~or a socket and an encoded plug
allocated thereto in accordance with Fig. 1, and -~
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of a
sleeve-like encoding component for a modular socket in accordance
with Fig. 1.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF_THE PREFERRE:D E~IBODIMENTS
The plug connection device in accordance with the
invention as shown in Fig. 1 comprises a modular multipolar
socket whlch is indicated here by front plate 4 and plug
opening 3 as well as a modular multiple contact plug 2 of
common arrangement, whereby sleeve-like encoding means prevent
the connection leading to contact between pluq 2 and socket 3,4
in the event of nonconformity.
E`or this purpose the sleeve-like encoding means 1
~or the plug 2 is a component changeably insertable on a
modular plug 2 in the circumferential direction and in the
longitudinal direction, having a cross section adaptable to the
varying geometrical cross sections of the socket opening 3
of modular sockets 4 by said changing.
As is shown in Figs. 2 ancl 3 in greater detail, the
plug encoding sleeve 1 is fixedly attached against displacement
in a gripping part 6 which is insertable on a plug 2. For this
purpose the plug encoding sleeve 1 is provided with encoding
grooves 7 extending in the plug-in direction and encoding
designation shoulders 8, whereby the latter can at least partly
be overlapped by tongues 9 on the gripping part 6. Furthermore,
it is preferable to provide at the free end of at least one
tongue 9 of the gripping part 6 a catch gripping behind the
inserted plug encoding sleeve 1.
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It is further substantial for the tnvention ln
accordance with Fig. 1 that the sleeve-like encoding means 5
for the socket 3,4 is a component which can chanyeably be
placed on the socket opening 3 of a modular socket 4 in the
circumferential direction and in the longitudinal direction,
having an inner cross section adaptable to the different geo-
metrical cross sections of modular sockets or plug encoding
means 1 by means of said changing. In this respect it is
preferable if the socket encoding sleeve 5 is fixedly placed
against displacement in a gripper-like fixing device 11 pro-
jecting from the front side of socket 4 and is provided with
grooves 13 extending in the plug-in direction, carrying encoding
designations and used for receiving projecting tongues 12 of
the gripper-like fixing device 11, whereby said grooves 13 are
at least partly overlapped by said tongues 12.
For the purpose of achieving a simple assembly the
arrangement is favourably made such t:hat on the free end of at
least one tongue 12 of the gripper-l;ke fixing device 11 there
is a catch 14 gripping behind the inserted socket encoding
sleeve 5. Furthermore, the socket encoding sleeve 5 comprises
cam parts 15 projecting inwardly and used for cooperating with
the encoding grooves 7 of the plug encoding sleeve 1.
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Fig. 4 (in cooperation with a respectively encoded
plug 2) and Fig. 5 show embodiments of such cam parts 15' in
a socket encoding sleeve 5.
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The above leads to the conclusion that the encoding
means in form of sleeves in the modular multiple contact plug
or in the multiple contact socket or in both simultaneously
allow a virtually unlimited number of encoding options. Further-
more, the arrangement of such plug contact devices is extremely
simple and all commercially available plugs and sockets of the
type mentioned above can be upgraded with this system.
In this respect a number of modifications are
possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, the sleeve-
like components 1 and 5 can also be arranged transversally or
longitudinally parted. Furthermore, additional plates or the
like (not shown) can be used for adaption to the geometrical
cross section.
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While there are shown and described preferred embodi-
¦ ments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that
¦ the invention is not limited thereto but may be embodied and
practise within the scop- of the iollowing clai-s. ~C_OR~INGLY
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